Letter by Pvt. David Chap Jones to his father, A. K. Jones

Cousin E. Truett Dec 18th 1861

Dear Father
I write you a few lines to night probably the last for some time and for aught we know the last you may ever receive from me It is my calculations to leave Hugh in the morning for camps where there is battle expected soon Hugh is up and a bout has been for four or five days Weaver died his Father got here the third day after his death had him taken up and carried him home I have not been very well for the last week I have had a dull fever and my bones are aching tonight with some fever I have written to my Capt that I will be in Bolden Green [Bowling Green, KY] to morrow night I would not leave yet if I had not sent him word I was coming my not going he mout think I was inclines to shrink as our Col. Terry was brough in Nashville this evening a corpse he was shot in the throat and came the back part of his head kild on Green River by an ambusher the enemy that kild him bit the dust in a moment he was ten paces distant some four private were kild eith or ten wounded the number we kild dont know I cant get hugh a furlow, about the close I have no over coat hardly any dress coat Hugh has a dress coat no over coat we need flannel drawers and under shitrs also one piece of pants a piece would not be objectionable.

I dont know exactly how you would get them to us. There has been no close sent to the boys from Tenn mailed in the same way you would a letter you would have to pay the freight on it before it started I and hugh has Forty some two or three dollars between us aplenty at present if we had close if you should send any send them by express to Bolden green Hugh can do very well until he gows to Camps again if you send any coat have it made to come down to the knees dress Coat over Coat would have to be longer to keep the legs warm in riding Hugh will stay here at Counsin Ezekiell until he is able for duty which will take four to six weeks he has a tolerable bad cough our boys are still dying occasinally I heard the other day we had lost 109 that had died some have died since the suffering of the soldiers are great I want you to write as soon as you receive this I got one from Keet all well had been having the chills all but J. N. he was fat write to me soon.

You sons
D. C. Jones & H. H. Jones

The Jones Family Papers, 1861-1862 (C#2235)
Western Historical Manuscript Collection-Columbia, University of Missouri